Thursday, November 4
Logan, UT
7:00 pm MT
Air Force Academy
6-17,3-10Mountain West
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Utah State
18-7,10-3Mountain West
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Air Force
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Utah St.
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Photo by: Justin Pacheco
Falcons Fall in Four to Utah State
11/4/2021 10:38:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
Bailey Keith led the team in kills (10) and digs (eight) during the four-set contest in Logan.
LOGAN, Utah – The Air Force volleyball team suffered a 3-1 setback to Utah State – the second-ranked team in the Mountain West – this evening (Nov. 4) at the Wayne Estes Center in Logan. Opening their final two-match road trip of the season, the Falcons fell in 14-25, 19-25, 25-23, 21-25 sets to the host Aggies.
Senior Bailey Keith tallied a team-high 10 kills and shared the Falcons' dig lead (eight) with sophomore Caroline Reinkensmeyer, who tallied more than half (20) of the team's assists and was one of two Falcons to tally a pair of service aces in the match (junior BrookeLyn Messenger). Seven different Falcons registered at least one block in the contest, with freshman Mac Russ, sophomore Joi Harvey and classmate Aaryn Scires tying for the team lead with five assisted stops apiece.
Air Force opened the match with a pair of Harvey blocks, as the sophomore teamed up with Keith (2-0) and Scires (4-2). The Aggies used an 8-1 run to double-up the Falcons by a 10-5 margin – and pushed its advantage to eight (14-6) before Russ put down a kill to stop another run by Utah State at the 14-7 mark. Kills from Keith and Harvey put the Falcons in double figures (10-20) and the Falcons earned points from Russ (kill) and Reinkensmeyer (ace), but Utah State won the opening set by a 25-14 margin.
An ace from Messenger accounted for the Falcons' first offensive point of the contest (2-0), while a kill from sophomore Savannah Neal halted a 6-1 run by the Aggies that put the home team up two (6-4). A kill from Messenger tied the set at seven and another Harvey/Scires block gave Air Force an 8-7 advantage. The Aggies tied the set on the next play and used another 6-1 run to take a four-point lead at the 13-9 mark. Air Force pulled within two (12-14) following a Russ kill and another Messenger ace – and the pair teamed up a block at the 17-21 mark. Air Force collected kills from Neal and Keith, but Utah State claimed the 25-19 win.
Reinkensmeyer found the floor on the first serve of the third set, while kills from Russ, Keith and Scires were sandwiched between another Air Force ace – this time by senior Lily Landis, whose score gave the Falcons a 6-3 lead. Russ and Scires put down kills and teamed up for block, as Air Force pushed its advantage to five at the 14-9 mark. Harvey (kill, block with Neal) helped Air Force push its advantage to seven (19-12), but the Aggies responded with five-straight to pull within two (19-17). Messenger put down a score to stop the run at 20-17, but a quick 3-1 run by Utah State cut the Falcons' advantage to a single point (21-20). The teams traded the next six points, with Air Force earning kills from Keith (two) and Harvey to reach set point at 24-23, and Messenger put down the set-winning point for the Falcons' 25-23 win.
The Aggies struck first in the fourth set, jumping out to a quick 4-1 lead, before kills from Keith (two), Harvey and Messenger tied the set at six. Another strike by Harvey evened the set at seven, while a service ace by freshman Murphy Riggs gave the Falcons their first lead of the set at the 8-7 mark. Messenger put down a strike to return the lead to Air Force at 9-8, while three-straight blocks by Russ (first and third assisted by Scires, second assisted by Keith) ended a 5-0 run by the Falcons that pushed their lead to five (14-9). Utah State pulled within one (14-13), but kills from Russ and Keith helped Air Force retake a multi-point lead at 17-14. A strike by junior Sarah Markwardt kept the Falcons' advantage at three (18-15) and the junior added another score to break a 19-all tie, but Utah State scored seven of the final eight points for the 25-21 comeback.
Air Force remains on the road Saturday (Nov. 6), when it travels to Idaho to face Boise State.
Senior Bailey Keith tallied a team-high 10 kills and shared the Falcons' dig lead (eight) with sophomore Caroline Reinkensmeyer, who tallied more than half (20) of the team's assists and was one of two Falcons to tally a pair of service aces in the match (junior BrookeLyn Messenger). Seven different Falcons registered at least one block in the contest, with freshman Mac Russ, sophomore Joi Harvey and classmate Aaryn Scires tying for the team lead with five assisted stops apiece.
Air Force opened the match with a pair of Harvey blocks, as the sophomore teamed up with Keith (2-0) and Scires (4-2). The Aggies used an 8-1 run to double-up the Falcons by a 10-5 margin – and pushed its advantage to eight (14-6) before Russ put down a kill to stop another run by Utah State at the 14-7 mark. Kills from Keith and Harvey put the Falcons in double figures (10-20) and the Falcons earned points from Russ (kill) and Reinkensmeyer (ace), but Utah State won the opening set by a 25-14 margin.
An ace from Messenger accounted for the Falcons' first offensive point of the contest (2-0), while a kill from sophomore Savannah Neal halted a 6-1 run by the Aggies that put the home team up two (6-4). A kill from Messenger tied the set at seven and another Harvey/Scires block gave Air Force an 8-7 advantage. The Aggies tied the set on the next play and used another 6-1 run to take a four-point lead at the 13-9 mark. Air Force pulled within two (12-14) following a Russ kill and another Messenger ace – and the pair teamed up a block at the 17-21 mark. Air Force collected kills from Neal and Keith, but Utah State claimed the 25-19 win.
Reinkensmeyer found the floor on the first serve of the third set, while kills from Russ, Keith and Scires were sandwiched between another Air Force ace – this time by senior Lily Landis, whose score gave the Falcons a 6-3 lead. Russ and Scires put down kills and teamed up for block, as Air Force pushed its advantage to five at the 14-9 mark. Harvey (kill, block with Neal) helped Air Force push its advantage to seven (19-12), but the Aggies responded with five-straight to pull within two (19-17). Messenger put down a score to stop the run at 20-17, but a quick 3-1 run by Utah State cut the Falcons' advantage to a single point (21-20). The teams traded the next six points, with Air Force earning kills from Keith (two) and Harvey to reach set point at 24-23, and Messenger put down the set-winning point for the Falcons' 25-23 win.
The Aggies struck first in the fourth set, jumping out to a quick 4-1 lead, before kills from Keith (two), Harvey and Messenger tied the set at six. Another strike by Harvey evened the set at seven, while a service ace by freshman Murphy Riggs gave the Falcons their first lead of the set at the 8-7 mark. Messenger put down a strike to return the lead to Air Force at 9-8, while three-straight blocks by Russ (first and third assisted by Scires, second assisted by Keith) ended a 5-0 run by the Falcons that pushed their lead to five (14-9). Utah State pulled within one (14-13), but kills from Russ and Keith helped Air Force retake a multi-point lead at 17-14. A strike by junior Sarah Markwardt kept the Falcons' advantage at three (18-15) and the junior added another score to break a 19-all tie, but Utah State scored seven of the final eight points for the 25-21 comeback.
Air Force remains on the road Saturday (Nov. 6), when it travels to Idaho to face Boise State.
Team Stats
USAFA
USU
Kills
40
48
Errors
28
22
Attempts
133
119
Hitting %
.090
.218
Points
56
67
Assists
38
45
Aces
6
7
Blocks
10
12
Game Leaders
Kills
10
Aces
0
Blocks
2
Kills
7
Aces
2
Blocks
1
Kills
6
Aces
0
Blocks
5
Players Mentioned
MB
/ Women's VolleyballOH
/ Women's Volleyball
S
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's VolleyballOH
/ Women's Volleyball
S/OPP
/ Women's Volleyball
S
/ Women's Volleyball
DS/L
/ Women's Volleyball
MB/OPP
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